Civil Engineers Salary
Civil Engineers in Louisiana make a median of $105,380 a year, or about $50.66 an hour. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $120,738 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 17.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $105K get you in Louisiana?
About civil engineers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Civil engineers pay in Louisiana tracks closely to the national median, $105K locally vs. $101K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 18.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level civil engineers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $92K spread from bottom to top.
Civil Engineers salary by metro in Louisiana
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $112K | +7% | 1,140 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $108K | +3% | 1,070 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $107K | +2% | 130 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $102K | -3% | 240 |
| Monroe | $99K | -6% | 110 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $99K | -6% | 210 |
| Lake Charles | $97K | -7% | 120 |
| Lafayette | $97K | -8% | 360 |
| Alexandria | $92K | -12% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track civil engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a civil engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 18.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for civil engineers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new civil engineers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,874/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is civil engineer a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $105K locally vs. $101K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for civil engineers?
Louisiana pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $121K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do civil engineers make in Louisiana?
The median is $105,380 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,570, and experienced civil engineers can clear $156,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,552/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 18.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a civil engineers salary go in Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median civil engineers salary is worth about $120,738 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do civil engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.